Stove-lid lifter.



T. POTENZA.

STOVE LID LIFTER. APPLICATION FILED JAN-27,1917.

L fifimo Patented May15,1917.

' the width of the recess TEODOSIG POTENZA,

OF NEVJ HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

STOVE-LID LIFTER.

Application filed. January 27, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnonosio POTENZA, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Stove-LidLitters; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings and the characters of reference markedthereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, andwhich said drawings constitute part of this application, and represent,in-

Figure'l an edge view of my improved stove-lid lifter.

Fig. 2 a plan view of the same in its normal or closed position.

Fig. 3 a view or" the device in transverse section on the line 33 ofFig. 2.

Fig. 4. a corresponding view on the line H of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 a plan view of the device shown in its open or lid-grippingposition.

Fig. 6 a reverse plan view of the litter in its normal or closedposition.

Fig. 7 a plan View of the lifter, showing the rockers separated prior tobeing coupled together.

My invention relates to an improved insulated stove-lid lifter, theobject being to produce at a low cost for manufacture, a simple, strongand durable lifter constructed with particular reference to ease andconvenience of handling, efficiency in use and ewness of parts.

With these ends in View, my invention consists in a stove-lid lifterhaving certain details of construction as will be hereinafter describedand pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention, as herein shown, I employ twosubstantially corresponding rockers 5, 6, the adjacent inner edges ofwhich are slightly convened as at 7 to adapt them to rock upon eachother. The inner ends of the said rockers terminate in correspondingupwardly curving lifting fingers 8 adapted to enter the recess in anordinary stove-lid, the combined width of these fingers being enoughnarrower than to permit the fingers to be readily inserted thereintowhen in their normal or closed positions, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, inwhich they are held by a helical handle-spring 9 the ends of which aresleeved over long, round stems or shanks 10 Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented May 315, 1917., Serial No. 144,894.

formed integral with the outer ends of the respective rockers 5 and 6.The inner ends of the said stems 10 are provided, as shown, withretaining-lugs 11 with which the end coils of the spring 9 are engaged.Between the inner ends of the said rockers 5 and (3 and the fingers S,are integral, downwardly projecting out-spreading bearing ears 12 whichrest upon the top of the stove-lid and orm points of purchase, as itwere, for lifting the same by means of the lifter.

For holding the rockers 5 and (i in co operative rocking relation, therocker 5 is formed upon its inner edge with an inwardly inclinedintegral flange 13 extending through its length and provided with slotsl4, l5 and 16 respectively receiving correspondingly spaced lugs l7, l8and 19 formed integral with, and projecting inwardly from the inner edgeof the rocker (3, the end lugs 17 and 19 being flat guide lugs as shownin Fig. l, and the central lug 18 being made in the form of a hool toact as a coupling-lug, as shown in Fig. It will be understood that thehelical handle-spring exerts a constant efi'ort to rock the rockers and6 with the effect of separating their outer ends and closing their innerends as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the lifting-fingers 8 are normally heldin contact preparatory to their introduction into the recess of astove-lid.

WVhen the litter is squeezed by the hand of the user, it assumes theform shown in Fig. 5, in which the outer ends of the rockers 5 and 6 arebrought together and their inner ends separated for the separation ofthe lifting-fingers 8, and the engagement of the outer edges of the samewith the side walls of the stove-lid recess, the separation of thefingers depending upon the width of the recess which will vary with thestove-lid. In any event, the fingers 8 will spread far enough to firmlyengage the sides of the stove1id recess. The natural closing of the handin gripping the litter, is thus utilized in taking a firm hold upon thestove-lid, which may then be tipped to dislodge any dirt upon itssurface, or tilted into any desired position without danger of itsslipping oi? the lifter. The helical spring 9 which provides fornormally holding the fingers 8 in their closed positions, also providesan insulating handle for the device.

By constructing my improved lifter with two coupled rockers, I dispensewith the use of a pivot and hence avoid the expense of boringpivot-holes and of the machining required for a pivot joint.

In my improved device, the number of parts is reduced to the minimumconsisting, as it does, of two cast parts and one spring. In assemblingthe device, it is merely necessary to sleeve the ends of the spring overthe stems of the rockers after which the rockers are hooked together bythe entrance of the coupling-lug 18 into the slot 15. The rockers willthereafter be held in this position by the tension of the spring 9. I donot broadly claim the use "of a helical spring as an insulating handlefor a stove lid-lifter,

but only my particular construction inwhich the respective members ofthe lifter are constructed to rock directly upon each other, and to becoupled together without the use of a pivot.

I claim 1. In a stove lid-lifter, the combination with two non-pivotalcomplementary rockers having their adjacent edges convexed to adapt themto rock directly upon each other, whereby lifting-fingers formed at theinner ends of the said rockers are spread apart for gripping astove-lid; of a spring for normally holding the said lifting-fingerstogether, and integral interlocking means I for holding the rockerstogether with free dom for rocking upon each other.

2. In a stove lid-lifter, the combination with two non-pivotal rockershaving their adjacent inner edges convexed for rocking directly uponeach other for spreading lifting-fingers at their inner ends apart forgripping a stove-lid, of integral interlocking means for holding therockers together with Gouies of this patent may be obtained for fivecents each, by addressing the capacity for being rocked directly uponeach other, and a spring applied to the outer ends of the rockers,forming a handle for the device and holding the said fingers in their normally closed positions.

3. In a stove lid-lifter, the combination with two non-pivotal rockershaving their adjacent edges convexed for rocking directly upon eachother for moving lifting-fingers at their inner ends apart to grip astove-lid, of an integral couplinglug. extending laterally between therockers for coupling them together with capacity for rocking movement,integral guide-lugs extending laterally between the rockers on oppositesides of the lug, and a spring applied to the outer ends of the rockersfor normally holding the said lifting-fingers in their closed positions.

4. A three-partnon-pivotal stove lid-lifter comprising two complementaryrockers having their adjacent edges convexed to rock directly upon eachother and formed at their inner ends with integral lifting-fingers andformed midway their ends with laterally extending integral coupling andguiding means, and a spring applied to the outer ends of the rockers fornormally holding their lifting-fingers together, the said fingers beingspread apart for gripping a stove-lid, against the tension of the saidspring.

In testimony whereof, I specification in the presence ing witnesses.

TEODOSIO POTENZA.

have signed this of two subscrib- Witnesses:

WILLIAM J. MAYER, MATILDA MAYER.

Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

